Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana scheme to boost exports and production in the fisheries sector, PTI reported. The scheme worth Rs 20,050 crore is part of the government’s plan to double the income of farmers.

The prime minister also launched the e-Gopala App, which will help farmers with livestock-related problems. He inaugurated several other initiatives including a semen station with an investment of Rs 84.27 crore in Bihar’s Purnea district ahead of Assembly elections in the state.

At the event, Modi said the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana is aimed at making India self-reliant. “The scheme is being inaugurated at 21 states,” he said. “In the next four to five years, Rs 20,000 crore will be spent on it. Out of that, work worth Rs 1,700 crore has begun.”

He added that the government will provide farmers with new infrastructure, advanced equipment and a new market. The scheme will pave the path for a renewed “white revolution” in the dairy sector, “blue revolution” in the fisheries sector and a “sweet revolution” in the apiculture sector, the prime minister said.

Modi also praised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for his development work. “Under the guidance of Nitish ji, work is being done quickly to provide access to clean water to every village in Bihar,” he said. “Four to five years ago, only two 2% of households had access to clean water. Now, the figure has increased to more than 70%.”

The prime minister said that 75 lakh of 10 crores farmers who benefited from the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana were from Bihar, adding that Rs 6,000 crore have so far been deposited into the account of those belonging to the state.

The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana is a flagship programme for the sustainable development of the fisheries sector and is a part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) package. The investment of Rs 20,500 crore in the scheme is highest ever in the fisheries sector, the prime minister’s office said.

Out of the given amount, about Rs 12,340 crore is planned for beneficiary-oriented activities in inland fisheries, marine, and aquaculture. About Rs 7,710 crore has been kept for fisheries infrastructure.